World War I was a defining moment for the United States. Soldiers shipped out to the Western Front, many more people took on unconventional roles at home, and Americans across the board were forced to make compromises in daily life.

The length of time bills were deliberated dropped significantly soon after Gov. Scott Walker and Republican legislators took control in 2011, diminishing the public's opportunities to influence lawmaking, records and interviews show.

In the 21st century, nearly a century after its founding in the 1930s, the institution balances Wisconsin's tradition of ecological research with public outreach, citizen-science projects and hosting visitors.

One of Milwaukee's socialist projects was the Garden Homes district, a housing project modeled after the British "garden city" movement that provided working class people with well-built homes, yards, and easy access to a local park.